{"id":14,"date":"2011-01-05T12:42:10","date_gmt":"2011-01-05T17:42:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wll\/?page_id=14"},"modified":"2015-05-21T14:54:12","modified_gmt":"2015-05-21T18:54:12","slug":"why-study-arabic","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wll\/home\/why-study-arabic\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Study Arabic?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Critical Language<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0 Arabic speakers are in great demand. The U.S. State Department has named Arabic a \u201ccritical language,\u201d creating scholarships for language study in the U.S. and overseas.\u00a0\u00a0 Practical and curious about the world, BU students feel that knowing Arabic will give them a career edge in such fields as diplomacy, intelligence, business, engineering, international development, and academia.<\/p>\n

A Solid Program. <\/strong>The Arabic program at BU covers four-plus years of modern standard Arabic<\/strong>. The program is structured to get you speaking in Arabic as quickly as possible (this is called the communicative method<\/em>); by the end of the first year, classes are conducted primarily in Arabic. We use the most widely taught textbook series, Al-Kitaab<\/em>, supplemented with a variety of authentic materials (newspapers and magazines, songs, advertisements, menus, YouTube videos, etc.) to make the cultural context come alive.<\/p>\n

A Lively Approach. <\/strong>Our program emphasizes all four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing). As a beginner, you\u2019ll start by learning to write the letters and distinguish the sounds of the Arabic alphabet. Many sessions zoom in on practical vocabulary and commonly discussed topics. As you advance, you\u2019ll learn the grammar and vocabulary you need to maintain an interesting college-level conversation in Arabic. Our upper-level language courses use a huge array of authentic sources from the Arab world (Arabic online media, novels and poems, films, blogs, etc.). We offer advanced Arabic in topic-based courses such as Translation, Media Arabic, Arab Cultures, and Arabic Literature. We also teach Levantine Colloquial Arabic and offer a special introductory track for \u201cheritage\u201d learners from Arab backgrounds.<\/p>\n

Check out the full menu of BU Arabic language and culture courses here. <\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What Our Students Say<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201cAmazing program<\/strong> with teachers that really care about helping the students; I feel like I\u2019m learning the language at a rapid pace and want to continue.\u201d \u2013Jessica Hotaling \u201916<\/p>\n

\u201cI enjoyed all my Arabic classes and have great respect for the professors, and I have many friends in the class. The professors are outstanding and do a great job attending to each student\u2019s individual needs<\/strong>.\u201d \u2013 Karan Varindani \u201916<\/p>\n

\u201cI studied abroad with BU’s Morocco program and I think that it really was integral to studying the language as a minor. Without studying abroad somewhere in the Arab world, whether it be in North Africa or the Levant region or the Gulf etc. you just wont get the same kind of experience or understanding of the language or culture in class unless you experience it first hand on your own.\u00a0 My experience with regards to [extracurricular Arabic at BU] was [also] really fulfilling and I liked how much effort the faculty put in always letting students know about the events etc. in the Facebook group https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/131982590181105\/<\/a> . There was always something to attend<\/strong>.\u201d \u2013Justin Ford \u201915<\/p>\n

“Arabic is a beautiful language<\/strong> that has not been fully discovered yet.\u00a0 It is a widely spoken language in the Arabic world spoken by many people.\u00a0 If you have the opportunity to take an Arabic class, take advantage of it.” \u2013 Nida Shuttari<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s a tough language, but so rewarding.\u00a0 Job offers really do pour in as you advance in the language.\u00a0 Cultural activities are plentiful.\u00a0 The department is small but developing wonderfully, and they REALLY value students’ feedback<\/strong> in terms of changing and adding new programs.” \u2013Matthew Knight<\/p>\n

“Arabic seemed like such a daunting task at first, but quickly turned into a fun yet challenging experience.\u00a0 It is definitely worth the time put in.\u00a0 Some of my closest friends<\/strong> are actually classmates from my Arabic class.” \u2013Stephen Allen<\/p>\n

“Arabic is awesome because it\u2019s a great, small, loving community of students <\/strong>who love learning a challenging language.\u00a0 Learning Arabic is challenging at times, but coming from a Romance language background, it is refreshing to study a completely new alphabet and culture.” \u2013Janet Calcaterra<\/p>\n

“Arabic blows your mind.\u00a0 It\u2019s completely different<\/strong> than any language spoken in Europe.\u00a0 It is also very useful in today\u2019s job market.” \u2013 Seth Mandelkern<\/p>\n

Frequently Asked Questions<\/h4>
<\/p>\n

Q: Can I major or minor in Arabic at BU?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes! You can minor in Arabic \u2013 see http:\/\/www.bu.edu\/academics\/cas\/programs\/modern-languages-comparative-literature\/minor-arabic\/<\/a>. \u00a0 You can major in Middle East and North Africa Studies, which works as a de facto <\/em>Arabic major \u2013 see www.bu.edu\/mena\/academics<\/a> for details. If you are majoring in International Relations and minoring in Arabic, talk to your Pardee School advisor about a double major in IR&MENA instead.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Q: Are there scholarships?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes! And our program frequently wins them. In recent years several of our students have won Foreign Language and Area Studies awards through BU\u2019s African Studies Center http:\/\/www.bu.edu\/africa\/forstudents\/financial-aid\/<\/a>, covering their tuition on campus. Our students have also won national awards such as Critical Language Scholarships and Boren Scholarships, a SALAM scholarship for summer study in Oman, a Gilman scholarship covering a semester\u2019s study in Rabat, and an all-expenses-paid scholarship to the prestigious Center for Arabic Study Abroad post-BA program in Cairo. The MA students in our Master of Arts in Teaching\u2013Arabic program, run jointly with the school of education, have won fellowships from Qatar Foundation International to cover their graduate studies.<\/p>\n

Q: Can you describe the kids who take Arabic at BU?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Between 100 and 200 students per year take Arabic at BU. The program is known for its camaraderie: the work is tough, and committed students develop a real sense that \u201cwe\u2019re all in it together.\u201d Our students do homework in pairs or groups and contribute to a warm, non-judgmental atmosphere in class. There are student blogs in Arabic, skits, presentations, and lots of extracurricular opportunities. There\u2019s usually a final party and talent show. It\u2019s inspiring to see how quickly our students progress \u2013 and how much fun they have.<\/p>\n

Q: How fast will I progress?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Amazingly fast. By the end of first semester, you will be able to conduct a simple interview with a native speaker.<\/p>\n

Q: Will I become fluent in Arabic? <\/strong><\/p>\n

We can\u2019t guarantee fluency \u2013 that depends on how hard you study!\u00a0 But we can tell you that our four-year program, combined with a summer or semester in the Arab world or in an intense summer program, can bring you to advanced proficiency by graduation if you are committed and work hard.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Q: Where can I study abroad?<\/strong><\/p>\n

BU has a study abroad site in Rabat, Morocco http:\/\/www.bu.edu\/abroad\/find-programs\/by-destination\/rabat-morocco\/<\/a>, open to all language levels (summer and fall); there is a homestay and an internship option. You can also study Arabic on the BU Abroad program in Haifa, Israel http:\/\/www.bu.edu\/abroad\/find-programs\/by-destination\/haifa-israel\/<\/a>. And many of our students get transfer credits for programs run through other universities and language schools in Jordan or Oman.<\/p>\n

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A Critical Language.\u00a0\u00a0 Arabic speakers are in great demand. The U.S. State Department has named Arabic a \u201ccritical language,\u201d creating scholarships for language study in the U.S. and overseas.\u00a0\u00a0 Practical and curious about the world, BU students feel that knowing Arabic will give them a career edge in such fields as diplomacy, intelligence, business, engineering, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2184,"featured_media":0,"parent":5,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wll\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wll\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wll\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wll\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2184"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wll\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wll\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5954,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wll\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14\/revisions\/5954"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wll\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wll\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}